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. 2022 Feb 19;22(1):145.
doi: 10.1186/s12877-022-02841-x.

Influence of oral health on frailty in patients with type 2 diabetes aged 75 years or older

Masaki Ishii  1 , Yasuhiro Yamaguchi  2 , Hironobu Hamaya  3 , Yuko Iwata  3 , Kazufumi Takada  3 , Sumito Ogawa  3 , Mitsuo Imura  4 , Masahiro Akishita  3
Affiliations

Influence of oral health on frailty in patients with type 2 diabetes aged 75 years or older

Masaki Ishii et al. BMC Geriatr. .

Abstract

Background: Poor oral health conditions are known to affect frailty in the older adults. Diabetes is a risk factor for both poor oral health and frailty, therefore, oral health status may affect frailty in diabetic patients more than in the general population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of oral health and other factors on frailty and the relationship among oral health, diabetes and frailty in older adult patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Patients with type 2 diabetes aged 75 years or older were included in this cross-sectional study. Eligible patients were surveyed by questionnaire for frailty, oral health status, and cognitive and living functions. Factors influencing pre-frailty, frailty, and individual frailty screening index (FSI) classes were evaluated.

Results: Of the 111 patients analyzed, 66 cases (59.5%) were categorized as robust, 33 cases (29.7%) as pre-frailty, and 12 cases (10.8%) as frailty. The oral frailty index, the cognitive and living functions score, and BMI were found to be factors influencing pre-frailty or frailty. In the evaluation of individual FSI classes, BMI had an influence on those with a FSI ≤2. The cognitive and living functions score was a factor influencing those with FSI ≤3. The oral frailty index was found to have a significant influence on all FSI classes.

Conclusions: Poor oral health has an influence on frailty in patients with type 2 diabetes aged ≥75. In this patient population, as frailty progresses, the impact of oral health on frailty may increase.

Trial registration: This study was retrospectively registered in UMIN-CTR ( UMIN000044227 ).

Keywords: Frailty; Older adults; Oral frailty index-8; Oral health; Type 2 diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Patient inclusion/exclusion flowchart. DASC-8: the dementia assessment sheet for community-based integrated care system-8 items, OFI-8: oral frailty index-8
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Age distribution and rates of frailty
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Adjusted odds ratios for frailty. DASC-8: the dementia assessment sheet for community-based integrated care system-8 items, FSI: frailty screening index, OFI-8: oral frailty index-8
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Frailty screening index and deviation values for OFI-8, DASC-8, and BMI
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Duration of diabetes and proportion of patients with oral frailty. Oral frailty was defined as an oral frailty score ≥4
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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